US: Donald Trump swings at Supreme Court decision to legalise same-sex marriage

US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump took a swing at the Supreme Court's landmark decision to legalise gay marriage across the country. Trump went on to say that if he were to be elected president, he would consider "putting certain judges on the bench that maybe could change things".

Speaking on "Fox News Sunday" earlier today (31 January), the presidential hopeful said: "I don't like the way they ruled". He added: "I disagree with the Supreme Court from the standpoint that it should be a states' rights issue and that's the way it should have been ruled on...I would have much preferred that they ruled at a state level and let the states make those rulings themselves.

"If I'm elected I would be very strong in putting certain judges on the bench that maybe could change things," Trump said on the eve of the Iowa caucuses. "At some point they have to get back down to business, but there's no question about it, I wish it was done by the state." When asked by host, Chris Wallace, whether he would hire new justices to overturn the decision, Trump said he would "strongly consider that".

Trump enters the contest leading the polls, according to a Des Moines Register/Bloomberg survey. The billionaire businessman is in first place with 28%, followed by Ted Cruz with 23% as Marco Rubio trails in third place with 15%.

The Grand Old Party (GOP) frontrunner also expressed his gratitude for the strong support he has received from evangelicals in Iowa, a state whose voting will have significant impact on the fate of Republican candidates. "We've had tremendous support from ministers, pastors, Christians generally, evangelicals," Trump said. "I'm probably more honoured when I hear that stat than when I see I'm winning the poll," he added.